According to police, a laid-off California sheriff's deputy faces felony charges of lewd acts with a child under 14 and transporting her for a sexual act.

The Sacramento Bee has reported that Eric Maurice Cephus, 39, of San Jose, who was laid off in August from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly picking up a 13-year-old girl while on duty working under contract for a park district and taking her to a hotel where he sexually assaulted her.

Two police officials further said that Cephus allegedly picked up the girl and a friend, 12, who may have been runaways, but dropped off the younger girl. The 13-year-old who Cephus allegedly took to the hotel told him she was a prostitute.

The newspaper also said that Cephus was hired by the Sheriff's Department in 2008 and has no problems on his record.

Cephus will be barred forever from working again for the Sheriff's Department if sheriff's detectives find there is a "greater likelihood than not" that the allegations are true, McGinness said. (With Input From Agencies)